Fluid-actuated rotatable chance device



y 1965 F. s. STEUDKOWSKI 3,184,238

FLUID-ACTUATED ROTATABLE CHANCE DEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FRANK S. STEUDKOWSKI BYQWWKLM ATTORNEY FIG. 5

F. s. STEUDKOWSKI FLUID-ACTUATED ROTATABLE CHANGE DEVICE May 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 8, 1963 FIG. 7

.FIG.6

INVENTOR FRANK S. STEUDKOYVSKI BY Q 7r. [Q -A ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,184,238 FLUlD-ACTUATED ROTATABLE CHANCE DEVICE Frank S. Steudkowski, 409 N. 28th St., Belleville, Ill. Filed Aug. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 300,881 3 Claims. (Cl. 273142) This invention relates in general to an amusement device and, more particularly, to an air-operated table game.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an amusement device comprising a plurality of air-driven wheels having indicia-bearing faces for presentation of indicia combinations for predetermined evaluation by the users.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an amusement device of the character stated which incorporates means for permitting selected operation of the wheels.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an amusement device having a plurality of air-driven Wheels which embody means for retaining same against rocking after rotation has been arrested, and which also embodies a novel arrangement of parts permitting of rotation in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

'It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an amusement device which is amenable for numerous game usages; which is conducive to use by children, as well as adults; which incorporates a simplicity of parts; which may be easily operated; and which is durable and reliable in usage.

Other objects and details of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings \(2 sheets) wherein-- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line H of FIGURE 1.

' FIGURE 3 is a canted transverse section taken on the line 3-8 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 5--5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 77'of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal transverse section taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 9 is a horizontaljransverse section taken on the line 99 of FIGURE 7 Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, A generally designates an amusement device comprising a box-like housing or casing C, having a base wall -1, parallel .vertical' side walls 2, 2', a front wall 3, which latter inclines upwardlyand rearwardly, and a top wall 4. The rearward portion of said casing is normally closed by a removable panel (not shown) to permit ready access to the casing interior. Casing C may be constructed of any rigid, durable material, such as wood, pressed board, plastic, or the like; and is dimensioned for stable disposition upon a support surface, as a table or the like, so that undesired shifting will be inhibited during usage.

(Provided in front wall 3 is a series of apertures 5 which may be of any selected number, but are shown in the drawing as being five in number, which are symmetrically arranged in a stepped pyramid fashion for facile visibility, for purposes presently appearing and for enhancing the appearance of device A. Affixed to the inside of front wall 3, in surrounding relationship to each aperture 5, is an annular retainer 6 having an inwardly opening groove 3,134,238 Patented May 18, 1965 7 for reception of the edge portion of a transparent member or lens 8, as of glass, plastic, etc. Fixed centrally within each transparent member 8, as by a rivet 9, is the forward end of a short shaft 10. Provided for rotation upon each shaft 1t) is a spinner wheel indicated generally 11 which comprises a sleeve 12 disposed upon shaft 10, and having an inner diameter in excess of the outside diameter of shaft 10 to present a loose mounting for free rotation about shaft '10; there being a rivet 13 at the inner end of shaft '10 to restrain sleeve 12 against axial dislodgement. Fixed upon sleeve 12 in its forward end portion, is an annular plate 14 having suitably inscribed, imprinted, or the like, upon its forward face a plurality of circumferentially arranged indicia as indicated at .15, which indicia may be numerals, letters, designs, or any other desired symbols, but are shown as numerals in the drawings for purposes of illustration. Indicia 15 are thus visible through transparent member 8 for ready viewing by the users of device A. Fixed to the rearward side of plate 14 and in a concentric, radially spaced relationship to sleeve 12 is a ring 16, its outer face being spaced inwardly from the outer margins of said plate 14 for accommodating thereabout a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced vanes 17, the outer end edges of which are flush with the peripheral edge of plate 14. Aflixed to the rearward edge of ring 16, and mounted upon sleeve 12, is a back plate 18 of like radius as ring 16 so as to coact with the other components of wheel 11 for strengthening same, as well as to cause the development with the rearward face of plate 14 and the inner face of ring 16 of an enclosed compartment v19 within which is mounted a polygonal, being preferably six-sided, runner 21); there being corners or angles 21 formed between adjacent side portions of runner 20. Within compartment 19 there is provided a ball 22 of limited Weight for movement about runner 20 during rotation of wheel 11 and for settling within the most downwardly presented angle 21 when wheel 11 comes to rest so as to thereby restrain the related wheel against inadvertent rocking action.

Presented proximate the lower portion of each wheel 11 is the upper discharge end of a flexible air exhaust tube 23 which is maintained in positionas by brackets 24 secured to the inner face of front wall 3 and Which in their lower portions are received within a manifold 25 having a central opening 26 which communicates with the inlet end of each tube 23. Extending into manifold 25 for communication with chamber 26 is the inner end of an air feed tube 27 which extends outwardly of casing C, as through an opening 28 provided in front wall 3; said opening 28 being provided with a compression washer 29. The outer end of air feed tube 27 is engaged to an air pressure bulb 30, said latter being fabricated of any suitable rubberized or elastic material, with the length of tube 27 being such as to present bulb 30 at a point convenient to users of device A. Upon squeezing or contracting bulb 30, air under pressure will be forced through tube 27 for discharge into chamber 26 of manifold 25 and thence outwardly through the various air exhaust tubes 23 for impingement of the discharged air against adjacent vanes 17 of the related wheel 1 1.

Secured to each air exhaust tube 23 immediately below its discharge end is a collar 31 integral with a forwardly extending arm or lever 32 which projects forwardly through aligned openings 33, 34 formed in a slide plate 35 and front wall 3. Said slide plate 35 is of general segmental configuration and is pivotally engaged at its lower end upon the inner face of front wall 3, as by means of a rivet 36, with its forward face being in surfacewise engagement against the rear face of front wall 3. Opening 33 is substantially complementary to arm 32 for providing support therefor. Opening 34 is of arcuate contour and of greater width than opening 33 so that by movement of arm 32 from one end to the other thereof, the discharge end of the related tube 23 may be shifted. With arm 32 at one extremity of opening 34, as shown in FIGURE 6 in full lines, air will be discharged against the vanes 17 of the relalted Wheel 11 so as to drive the same in a clockwisedirection, as viewedfrorn therear of front wall 3; while with arm 32 at the other extreme of its respective opening 34, as

indicated in phantom lines iii-FIGURE- 6,-thedischarge a end of tube 23 will be presented for impingement stair against the wheel vanes for driving the adjacent wheels 2 in a counterclockwise direction. It will thus be seen that slide plate 35 resists any tendency of tubing 23 to prematurely return from either of such positionsrthrough the frictionproducing engagement with front Wall 3.

Provided with each wheel 11 is a locking mechanism indicated generally L and comprising a central stem portion 37 which projects through a short slot 38 formed in front wall 3, carrying on its outer end a knob 39 for facile operation of the mechanisms and on its inner end is laterally bent to provide anextension 40 directed toward the related wheel 11. Upon sliding of mechanism Lin a direction toward the related wheel 11, as by suitable manipulation of knob 39, extension 40 will be:

tioned in themanner shown in-FIGURE' 9,'so as to.

allow unimpeded rotation of wheel 11 and with arm 32 positioned to allow for desired direction of rotation of Wheel 11, a user will manually compress bulb 30'for effecting discharge of air against vanes 17 of wheel '11."

By selected operation of locking mechanism L, only certain wheels 11 may be caused to operate at anyparticular' juncture so that the users may play withone, all, or only certain ones of wheels 11 at their election.

The capability of the present invention to allow a change of directionor rotation of the-individual wheels 11 is a novel feature conducive to enhancing enjoyment by the users. j 1.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the formatiom'construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the Amusement Device may be made and substituted for these herein shown'and described without departing from the 'nature and principle ofmy invention; f 7

Having thusdescribed--my"invention,- What '1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent iszluA game apparatus comprising 'a-housing"having a front wall, at least one aperture, provided in said front wall, atransparent member provided in-said aperture, a shaft engaged to each transparent member'for extension inwardlyof the housing frontwall, a spinner wheel mounted on said shaft for free rotation thereabout,"said spinner wheel having radially extending vanes; a source of fluid under pressure, a flexible fluid discharge tube connected at one of its ends to said source, the other end of said tube being presented adjacentthe'periphery of said spinnenwheel, a slide plate engaged .upon the inner face of said front wall forxpivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis, means 'engagingxsaid Byv means'of manifold all wheels 11 will rotate simultaneouslyyit being recognized that the forces of the pressurized air will overcome any resistance created'by' the balls 22. Wheels 11 will continue to rotate for a limited period 'of time until the same, through friction as well as through effect of balls 22, will decelerate and eventually come to a point, of. test which .will be finally determined by the balls 22 seating in the lowermost. angles 21 and'thus stabilizing wheels 11' insuch position.

By means of the rotation of theangles 21, one particular.

every possible use of the present invention since the game possibilities of device A are innumerable; such un-, doubtedly being apparent.

It 'is readily recognized that device A is operated" merely by-a squeezing of "bulb so that the same is readily playable by both young children and adults, and can be used for enj yment by any age group.

fluid discharge tubeto said slide plate spacedly from the discharge-end of said tube, means for efiecting selectedmovement of said slide plate for presenting the discharge end of said tube at one side or the other of said spinner wheelto eifectrotation thereof in preselected direction by impingement upon the spinner wheel vanes.

of 'fiuid discharged from'isaidtube.

2. A game apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further 7 characterized by a locking arm mounted for axially shiftable movement relative to the inner face of said housing front wall, said locking member being disposed adjacent said spinner wheel for engaging the proximate vane-thereof to inhibit rotation 'of said wheel, and means acces sible forwardly of said housing front wall for effecting operation of said lo'cking'member.

3. A game apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further characterized by means provided within each spinner wheel for presenting same in predetermined attitude upon cessation of rotation.

DELBERT 1B. LOWE, Examiner. 

1. A GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A FRONT WALL, AT LEAST ONE APERTURE PROVIDED IN SAID FRONT WALL, A TRANSPARENT MEMBER PROVIDED IN SAID APERTURE, A SHAFT ENGAGED TO EACH TRANSPARENT MEMBER FOR EXTENSION INWARDLY OF THE HOUSING FRONT WALL, A SPINNER WHEEL MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR FREE ROTATION THEREABOUT, SAID SPINNER WHEEL HAVING RADIALLY EXTENDING VANES, A SOURCE OF FLUID UNDER PRESSURE, A FLEXIBLE FLUID DISCHARGE TUBE CONNECTED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS OF SAID SOURCE, THE OTHER END OF SAID TUBE BEING PRESENTED ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID SPINNER WHEEL, A SLIDE PLATE ENGAGED UPON THE INNER FACE OF SAID FRONT WALL FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS, MEANS ENGAGING SAID FLUID DISCHARGE TUBE TO SAID SLIDE PLATE SPACEDLY FROM THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID TUBE, MEANS FOR EFFECTING SELECTED MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE PLATE FOR PRESENTING THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID TUBE AT ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER OF SAID SPINNER WHEEL TO EFFECT ROTATION THEREOF IN PRESELECTED DIRECTION BY IMPINGEMENT UPON THE SPINNER WHEEL VANES OF FLUID DISCHARGED FROM SAID TUBE. 